Up to Her Elbows
by Jayden Momochi
Summary: Togurou Team punch shot.


"What do you need a band aid for

"What do you need a band aid for?"

"So I don't get an infection."

"What are you worried about an infection for?"

"Unlike you, Ani – sama, my body parts are not expendable – I still need them to function."

Ani scoffed. "Useless."

**July 15, 3:04 am**

Setsuko was rifling through the kitchen, desperately trying to be quiet – she did not want to face the consequences if she woke any one in the house. Damn it though, she was carnivorous, she had skipped dinner on account Ototou – san had showed her something gruesome thirty minutes prior to the meal – Setsuko had lost all zeal for an appetite. Seto pressed a hand to her unpainted pink lips in an attempt to stifle a yawn. For an hour she had debated with herself on whether she should eat or sleep. Tomorrow was supposed to be a rigorous day – Ototou – san had said he'd be upping the ante on her training – that malicious look in his eye didn't settle the fear and apprehension in her stomach. In the end; however, Seto decided that food would help her strength much better than sleep – that and the loud rumble from her stomach had her frightened for her life. Who knew what was roaming around the halls at night – listening to her?

At a sharp intake of breath, Seto pressed her back against the kitchen pantry, hardly daring to breathe. There were footsteps coming down the hall, towards the kitchen – in her direction! One big, padded foot came slowly into view, and for once she was allowed to exhale – it was just Bui. A small smile adorned her lips – she had a minute kindling for the axe wielder, and made it a point to be in his company whenever fate was kind. Tonight, fate was just plain on her side.

The giant axe wielder never said much, not to her, not to anyone, but he always listened – he was wonderful at that, and on the plus side he never seemed to mind when her motor seemed to be running at several different speeds. Tonight, the demon seemed to be deep in thought – so much so he nearly bowled her over as he meandered his way to the pantry she was still currently occupying. One look at her and he nearly laughed. She was just so damn cute with fear written all over her, her back pressed into the tiny crook of the kitchen.

Bui cocked his head and waited – he would wait all night if he had to, but damn if he'd leave her scared shitless because she thought he was one of the sadistic three – coming to hack her to pieces, or blow her mind – literally.

Her response was to turn her back (with a small smile!) and stand on tiptoes to reach into the cupboard to grab a teabag. She was humming to herself, suffering from a lack of height as she desperately (in vain) tried to reach the tea bags. Silently Bui reached up behind her (and in doing so brushed his chest against her back) and lifted the tea bag from its spot.

Before the girl could properly thank the axe wielder, he was gone. With a small shrug Setsuko set about her tea, fussing with this and that. At the opposite end of the hallway, underneath his mask, Bui was smiling. He could sleep peacefully tonight.

Bui, realized with a half groan, he never did receive what he had set out into the kitchen for.

Oh well.

**July 15****th**** 5:05 pm **

She hated bugs – especially big flying ones. So it was specially entertaining to watch her chase one around the temple with a fly swatter.

Yet, that was exactly what Bui was doing. Seto had nearly screamed bloody murder when she lifted back her pillow and out flew this winged beast, had her stumbling about in search of something to kill it. Had Bui running for dear life thinking something serious was a foot.

Now all Bui was trying to do was hold his laughter in for the fear of **his** life – the girl was pretty menacing with a giant pink flyswatter in her tiny little clutches. She was making quite the racket still, muttering and cursing. Was quite cute if you were to ask him – not that Bui would admit to much. Oh no, Bui, under no circumstances would he admit he found the girl even remotely appealing. No amount of torture the Togurou brothers could muster would ever make him admit something such of that caliber.

Bui was much too… self conscious.

Setsuko was making such a racket in fact; the whole house had come to watch her in blatant amusement.

When the girl had finally calmed down (she was leaning against the wall, panting, glaring at her bystanders) the bug was dead – but so was the temple. Tables were upturned, the beds were unmade, a lamp was shattered – the girl knew how to cause damage. Bui had only hoped this force would never be made to use on him. Karasu just kept on snickering, no amount of glaring from the young fighter could stop him, not even his partner could quell this grotesque form of amusement.

Setsuko finally pushed herself from the wall, heaved a sigh and marched her form out the door, shoving past the three men.

"Na, na Seto – chan, just where do you think you are going?"

Seto glared, "If you feel like eating dinner anytime soon, you'll excuse me."

No matter how fresh her temper was, she realized (quite too late) she should never release it outside of battle – specifically against one of the brothers. Almost before the words were even out of her mouth, the elder Togurou brother had his fingers digging into her abdomen, pulling and tugging. Seto suppressed a gasp and fought for control as she feared her organs would be ripped out of her one by one. The eldest cackled madly (Ani – sama does not cackle!) as he slowly withdrew his weapons from her intestines.

"You'd better wash up – and hurry girl, we're not going to wait forever for you to drag your lazy ass down to the kitchen."

Ototou – sama certainly had a point, no matter how fatigued she was feeling or how badly _**bruised**_ she was.

Not even ten minutes later, Setsuko was completely engrossed in her cooking – not to mention completely covered up to her elbows in flour. She had – in that time – washed, dried and bandaged her bruise (hardly could call it that) and made it downstairs just in time to see Ani – sama head _**up stairs**_ (presumably to fetch her). With a collective sigh as he continued to brush past her and turn a corner, Seto raced down the rest of the stairs and into the safety of the kitchen.

Currently, Seto was trying her hand at a new recipe – and feared all to the gods for her stingy life.

'_They had better like this god forsaken meal or I'll force it down their throats!'_

Seto suppressed a bitter laugh – like that was highly plausible, they'd kill her before she even got the first forkful in, either that or they'd seriously maim her then make her not only clean up the mess, but prepare a new menu. The female fighter could only sigh wistfully as she all but wrangled with her dish to stick it (more like push and shove) into the oven and then flop down upon the kitchen floor to wait.

She was too exhausted to even remotely consider cleaning this mess up now – she'd just spend the rest of her evening (wasted) cleaning up the dishes. A new wave of self pity fell about her as she realized that for the past year and a half she had wasted every single evening clearing dishes and making dinner.

'_Well, at least it was better than training.' _

Though not much could be said for her progress in strength – that just meant all that much longer stuck here. While the other two fighters were constantly battling throughout the day, Setsuko only trained in the mornings with them – the rest of the day was reserved for the more – womanly – aspects of daily living.

Another bitter sighed escaped her before she could even muster the thought process to stop it. Bui, by this time, had wandered in to find his favorite person slumped on the floor, her eyes closed.

Seto realized that if she never grew stronger, Bui would surpass her soon and she would be all alone.

The Togurou's made a deal with each fighter – they were to grow stronger and defeat the two brothers in order to reclaim their freedom.

Yeah, well Bui would have his freedom and she would not.

Which meant she'd be all alone - in a house with two psychopaths.

Oh dear Kami, please have mercy on her poor, poor soul.

Bui watched in amusement as Seto battled inwardly with herself, her expressions changed subtly from fear to anger to sorrow and finally to resignation. Poor girl. Something small tugged at his heart as he watched her- she was so completely worn down, so exhausted and weak. There was nothing he could do of course. He had his own hide to think of. Still, he yearned for this small tidal wave in front of him. She was such a delight to be around (when there **was** the chance to be around her) and Bui knew she could go far if only she would (could) train more.

* * *

Note: Ok, so The ending is a bit abrupt; however, I wanted to get this story out, I wanted length to it, but in the end fatigue won out. I don't care that there is an OC in there, everyone else is in character and she is not a mary sue. I write for fun, for enjoyment purposes only. I want my readers to enjoy what they read, so I really do not want to hear it - you either enjoy reading it or you don't. I have fun writing.

Bui: She's overworked.

Am not!


End file.
